The Moment of Truth
by margaretderby
Summary: What would you do if your favorite book came to life, and you fell in love with the main character? When Charlotte meets Edward Cullen and they fall in love, she has to decide if their love is worth his happiness. Sucky Summary - please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Okay, I'm sorry this came up like I posted a 2nd chapter, but I messed up. I finally got a beta and realized my first chapter wasn't so hot, so this is the beta'd first chapter. I also am now on twilighted(dot)com, so check the story out there! This means I'll be updating more frequently! Thanks to saram05 for being the best beta a girl could ask for :)

July 27, 2002

I shivered as I pulled my red terrycloth towel up around my shoulders. The once drizzling rain had turned into a torrential downfall and the beach, as well as my belongings were on their way to becoming completely soaked. I hurried to grab my bag and chair, while trying not to completely kill myself.

"Ashley, do you have all of your stuff?" I questioned. My best friend Ashley and I had decided to take an impromptu trip to Charleston, South Carolina to celebrate the summer before our senior year of high school.

"Yeah, I have it all. Well, at least, I hope so, because I don't want to stay in this rain any longer", Ashley shouted over the pouring rain. She gave me one last look, and then she took off running over the sandy dunes toward the tiny beach house we were renting for the rest of the week, dragging her striped beach chair along behind her.

Following her lead, I tried my best not to sink into the now completely soaked sand below me. I'm not really clumsy, I mean, I have my moments, but rainy weather and I have never gotten along well.

Some trip this was turning out to be.

Thick, dark clouds have covered the sky since we arrived three days ago. It has rained at least once a day, and to top it all off, we haven't even met any cute guys yet.

I looked up from my reverie, expecting to see Ashley in front of me, but she was moving so quickly she had almost completely disappeared from my line of sight.

"Wait up!" I screamed at her, hoping she was still close enough to hear me.

"Come on Charlotte! Move a little faster, there are trees up here!" She shouted back.

With the enticing vision of the protective trees up ahead motivating me, I bounced up the stairs in a hurry, not bothering to watch where I was going. Suddenly, I ran head first into something cool and hard. As I fell over, my belongings flew everywhere, and I immediately went to grab them, but before I could move, I felt two strong hands lift me up so I was standing once again. I looked up to see who I had plowed into and found myself face to face with the most beautiful boy I had ever seen.

He was pale, and the moisture from the rainy weather made his unusual shade of copper hair glisten. His liquid gold eyes captivated my attention, and as I met his stare I became weak at the knees. I sensed there was something strangely familiar about him, but I couldn't place where I might have seen him before.

"Are you all right?" The striking boy asked, and his velvety voice melted not only my ears, but also my heart.

At that moment a light bulb went off in my head, and suddenly I knew how I somewhat recognized him. I was looking at what could be an exact replica of Edward Cullen, one of the main characters from a book I had just read,_ Twilight,_ who had recently become the star of many of my dreams. Only he was about twelve times more gorgeous in person.

I realized I was staring at him, so I quickly averted my gaze to the right only to find myself even more stupefied that before.

Standing next to him was Emmett Cullen, or at least someone who matched Emmett's book description perfectly.

The logical side of my brain was telling me I must be seeing things, that this had to be a joke, but I couldn't help but be amazed at how much these two resembled the physical descriptions I had read about in _Twilight_.

It was like my favorite book characters had come to life in front of my eyes.

"I'm so sorry," I finally replied. Although I was thoroughly embarrassed, I was immensely thankful I don't blush easily. "I'm fine, and I swear I'm normally a little more graceful. It's the rain, it messes with my balance", _and apparently my head_, I thought to myself, but I laughed it off and pointed towards the sky where the rain was pouring from the clouds above.

"Charlotte, what are you doing?" Ashley asked as she jogged over to my side. She noticed the two boys and immediately smiled, turning on the charm as she was known to do whenever she spotted something, or someone, she liked.

For a moment I wondered if she had noticed the same uncanny similarities that I did, but that thought was immediately squashed when I remembered that she hadn't read _Twilight_.

"Sorry Ash, I sort of took a spill. Lucky for me these guys were here to help me out, and I was just about to thank them", I replied, giving a tentative smile to the handsome Edward look-a-like.

"So, thank you. I'm Charlotte Monroe, and this is my friend Ashley", I told him as I stuck out my hand. He took my offered hand and shook it, and I was shocked at how cold it was, despite the 97-degree weather. I watched as he opened his beautiful mouth to speak, and I half expected him to introduce himself as Edward Cullen. I immediately shooed the thought from my head and mentally kicked myself for thinking it to begin with.

"It's not a problem, and it is a pleasure to meet you both. My name is Edward Cullen, and this is my brother Emmett."

A/N

Okay! How did you like it? Can't wait to hear your reviews and the 2nd chapter will be up shortly!


	2. Chapter 2

Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight, I just wish I did :)

In this story, Twilight came out in 2002

Thanks to saram05 for all her help, enjoy!

--

I suddenly felt like a giant anvil had landed on my chest. His words just kept repeating over and over again in my head: _my name is Edward Cullen… my name is Edward Cullen_… I stood there for what felt like hours, my heart pounding erratically. _This must be a joke_, I thought to myself, _I'll just play along. _"Nice to meet you. Just call me Bella Swan", I joked sarcastically while watching his beautiful face morph into a very confused expression.

"Bella Swan? You introduced yourself as Charlotte Monroe", he replied in a puzzled tone. He really didn't know what I was talking about, and I didn't know what to think. A boy named Edward Cullen, with a brother named Emmett, both of which matched the descriptions of the two characters perfectly._ This couldn't be a coincidence, could it?_ _No_, I answered myself. Either these guys had read _Twilight_ and decided to mess with the female population in Charleston, or my new favorite book had actually come to life.

"It is Charlotte. Th-that was just a joke", I stuttered. He still looked genuinely confused, and I was still feeling ridiculously stupid, so I tried to clear up my awkward attempt at humor a bit more.

"It's just that, well, you see…" I was getting severely embarrassed and it seemed like words were refusing to come out of my mouth. Ashley merely stared at me like I was crazy, and I honestly couldn't blame her. "Um, you just, you remind me of a character from a book I just read," I finally stammered out. "His name is Edward, and he has a brother named Emmett," I continued, gaining speed as I went. "It's a pretty popular book, so I thought you might have read it, but judging from the confused look you just gave me, I'm assuming you haven't…" I let myself trail off there, knowing that I was now suffering from a major case of word vomit.

"No, I don't believe I've read that one." He replied with a smile. It wasn't just any smile though; it was the crooked smile. The smile I, along with thousands of other girls, had discovered and dreamed about for the past few months.

And all at once, I knew that this was no joke. Not only was I staring into the face of Edward Cullen, but we were having an actual conversation. My knees felt like they were made of jelly, and I couldn't seem to form a single cohesive thought, let alone carry on a conversation with him. I knew that I needed to get out of there before I passed out all over these beautiful boys from embarrassment overload.

"Well," I whispered coarsely as I tried to gather the strength to continue, "thank you for your help, and again, I deeply apologize for running into you." I then quickly picked up the rest of my things and walked around Edward. My arm lightly brushed his, and I felt my whole body shiver under that tiniest of touches.

I latched onto Ashley's arm and began pulling her away as quickly as I could without running. She sent me a look that shouted "what are you doing?", but I ignored it and kept on moving us towards the tiny beach house we were renting. I let go of Ashley's arm as soon as I knew she would continue following me, and then began to stare down at my forearms, marveling at how I could still feel the tingle from where his hands had touched my skin before. I could hear that Ashley was talking beside me, but I couldn't concentrate, my thoughts flickered between _I just found the love of my life_ and _I'm going crazy_.

The two-minute walk seemed to take days, and when we finally reached our beach house I abruptly dumped all my things outside and bolted up the front steps into the house. I knew that Ashley would be expecting an explanation for my current freak-out, but I couldn't think of a way to clarify it without sounding like someone who belonged in the psych ward. In a matter of seconds I made it into my room and swiftly shut myself inside. I leaped onto my bed and landed face down in the pillows, at a loss as to what I should do next.

"Charlotte?" Ashley asked as she opened the door to my room, "are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Ash. I just need to be alone for a second."

"And you're sure you're okay?" She questioned again.

"I'm perfect, I'm just…" _going crazy_ "…not feeling well". I lied, praying she would leave me to my insane thoughts.

"Well, all right. I'm going to jump in the shower, come get me if you need anything," she said, and with a small smile she left my room. I was all alone, just me and my thoughts - my absolutely psychotic thoughts.

_There has to be something wrong with me. Book characters don't just come to life. I must have been seeing things,_ _or I imagined what actually happened. Edward Cullen is not real; he's fiction, a work of art. I did not just meet _the _Edward Cullen. _I kept telling myself this over and over again, but it made no impact.

I knew without a shadow of a doubt that the face I had stared into this afternoon was the face of Edward Cullen.

Despite all logic and plausible answers, it was something I just knew.

But, even though I knew with my entire being that the Edward Cullen I had fallen in love while reading _Twilight _was a real person and in Charleston, I still tried to convince my mind otherwise. So, I began repeating my earlier rejection of the facts in my head again, and after an indeterminate amount of time I had half-heartedly persuaded myself that I was mistaken and that the whole thing had never happened.

I heard Ashley get out of the shower, and slowly forced myself to get off the bed and gather my things to get in the shower myself.

After a hot shower and quick snack, I felt much better. I had all but completely convinced my mind that the events that had transpired earlier this afternoon were nothing but figments of my overactive imagination. I had been known to daydream, after all.

With a small, painless pinch, Ashley pulled me out of my musings with the suggestion that we make use of the awful weather by going shopping in downtown Charleston. My heart immediately leapt at the idea, and I realized then that my earlier attempts at trying to banish thoughts of meeting Edward Cullen from my mind were fruitless, not to mention a complete failure. I was an all-out mess – my body was yearning to run into Edward again, while my mind was pitifully trying to deny those wants existed.

A/N

Okay, this was a pretty fast update, but it was because I had chapter 2 already done and beta'd. Sadly, I doubt I'll be able to get chapter 3 up as quickly, but I will definately try! Hope you enjoyed it, and I can't wait to hear your reactions!


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the long wait, but it will be worth it!

Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight, no copyright infringement intended

Thanks to saram05 for being a fantastic beta

--

For as long as I can remember, shopping in downtown Charleston has always seemed to be the perfect way to put me in a great mood. Before I moved to Boston when I was twelve, I grew up in a small town on the outskirts of Charleston. My parents took me to into the city often – my mom especially considers shopping as the cure for a sour attitude. I've always been a bit unimpressed with the idea of shopping; I don't loathe it, but I don't love it either. When I'm in Charleston though, my inner shopper comes out with a vengeance.

Ashley and I decided to begin with a quick run through of the market and then take a walk down King Street, so we could admire all the brand name clothes we couldn't afford. We planned on finishing our shopping excursion with dinner at my favorite restaurant, called Slightly North of Broad.

The market is one of my favorite places in Charleston. It consists of three huge buildings, full of booths with handmade jewelry, clothing and other unique items. Every day, vendors come from all over bringing their finest products, so customers are always guaranteed a distinctive experience. It also doesn't hurt that things in the market tended to run cheap, an extra benefit for a 17-year old girl with a shoe obsession.

I was almost always able to find something exquisite to buy there, but after walking down the many rows of tiny boutiques that day, I couldn't find anything I wanted. This put me in a major slump, and I pouted as I walked next to Ashley, watching her load up with treasures.

I finally found a booth that held some jewelry that looked relatively interesting, and was trying to decide between a couple of bracelets when I heard Ashley rush up beside me and whisper in my ear.

"Isn't that the boy you were talking to at the beach", she muttered quickly, trying not to draw attention to herself. I felt a sudden pounding in my chest, and I instantly threw my head upward, almost giving myself whiplash. As I rubbed the back of my neck I looked around, not entirely sure whether I wanted Ashley to be right or wrong about Edward being here. I spun around in place and abruptly froze, stopping dead in my tracks. She was correct; Edward Cullen was standing a few feet away at a booth diagonal from us.

And I was definitely happy she was right.

He was admiring a silver pocket watch, and I watched in awe as he carefully spun the watch around, opened it, and then scrutinized it as if it was the most curious and beautiful object he had ever seen in his life. While staring at him from a distance, observing him eye the stunning watch, I was overcome with the urge to step in front of him and have him look at me the same way. Luckily, before I could do anything rash Ashley was by my side again.

"You should go talk to him", she suggested, "He's cute".

Cute was a definite understatement of Edward's looks. I found him stunning, jaw dropping, exquisite and absolutely breath-taking. I continued staring at him, unable to remove my eyes from the magnificent site. Before I could take another breath, his eyes locked with mine, and a crooked smile played on his lips. I hesitated, but slowly smiled back at him, amazed at the intense sparks I felt whenever our eyes met.

He slowly began ambling towards the booth across from me, and I just watched him, unable to move, think, or even breathe. He looked down at the two bracelets I held in my hands, and studied them for a moment, just like he had with the pocket watch.

"You should purchase the green one", he finally said, "It matches your eyes". His golden eyes then connected with mine, and it was as if the entire world around us stood still. All I could see was Edward and his beautiful face, smiling down at me.

"Hi," I breathed, finally letting out the air I had unconsciously been holding in.

"Hello," he whispered back, speaking loud enough for only me to hear. We stood silently, just staring at each other for what seemed like hours, until Ashley came up beside me, ruining the perfect moment.

"Hi Edward," Ashley bubbled as she lightly pinched my arm to bring me back to reality.

"Good afternoon Ashley. Are you girls enjoying your shopping?"

"Yeah, we figured we should make use of the awful rainy weather somehow, right Charlotte?"

"Mmhmm," I mumbled brainlessly, seeing as how I was still unable to form coherent words.

"I'm glad I ran into you two, I was wondering if you would be willing to join me for dinner tomorrow night. I'm new in town, and I don't have the slightest idea where to go, and I was looking for some company to explore with me," he asked.

Before I could wrap my mind around what Edward had just asked us, Ashley began to respond, "I wish I could, but I'm meeting up with some friends of my parents tomorrow. Trust me, I'd do anything to get out of it, but if you knew my parents, you would know I have no choice. However, Charlotte grew up around here, so she knows the area pretty well. I'm sure she would love to go, wouldn't you Charlotte", she finished then looked at me expectantly.

I knew I needed to answer, but my mind was still reeling from Edward's invitation. I was having an especially difficult time letting go of the idea that my potential dinner date _couldn't even eat._

"I'd love to," I finally replied, carefully keeping my eyes downcast so I wouldn't once again become trapped in his mesmerizing stare. "That is, if you're sure you want just _my_ company," I quickly added, not wanting him to think I was trying to force myself into a one-on-one situation with him.

"You would be the perfect company", he replied, and he quickly brushed his hand across mine, causing my entire body to tremble. "How does seven sound?"

_Perfect_, I thought to myself with a smile.

"Great, I'll pick you up then", he answered.

Knowing that I would be too nervous to hold a pen properly - let alone write, Ashley quickly scribbled down the address of the beach house on the back of a receipt and handed it him.

"I'll see you at seven", he said. He gave me one last smile and then sauntered off down the market once more. Ashley left my side to look around for a few more minutes, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with a heart filling happiness I hadn't felt in a really long time.

"Can I help you, miss?" the vendor whose booth I was at asked, bringing me to my senses ones more.

"I'll take the green one," I replied. I smiled as I handed her the bracelet, and found myself strangely excited yet completely terrified about the night to come.

--

Worth the wait?

A special treat for the next chapter, EPOV as to what has happened so far!

Review lots and I'll get it posted extra fast!


	4. Chapter 3B

Hey guys! I know I said I would update quickly, but sadly, I didn't get many reviews - which means no quick update. PLEASE REVIEW! I'm dying to know what people think!

I hope everyone loved Breaking Dawn - I know I did, but it was very hard to resist the wonderful world of fanfiction

So, as always the amazing Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight and much thanks to my fantastic beta saram05 for being basically the best ever.

And away we go...

--

EPOV

I seemed to be unable to force Charlotte Monroe out of my thoughts. Not only was she incredibly beautiful, witty and charming, but she also confused me to no end. She seemed to be under the assumption that I was a character that came to life from a recently released book. The mere idea of the situation made me laugh; the notion was completely insane.

There was something about her that had me hooked, however, and as I made my way home from the beach, I found myself in a daze, my mind was solely focused on her - her exquisite green eyes that seemed to delve into my soul every time we made eye contact, her brilliant chestnut hair that clung to her perfect oval face – it seemed as though every delicate feature of Charlotte's was awakening urges in me I had never felt before. I was hesitant to admit it, but I was terrified.

_Wow_, I thought to myself as I quickly tried to shake all thoughts of her from my head. _She's a human Edward, pull it together_, I told myself as I began to forcibly remove her from my thoughts. I couldn't understand how she had this affect on me. I had met plenty of beautiful women in my…_existence_; however, never before had a woman – vampire or human - caused a reaction like this in me. My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Emmett's typical juvenile musings.

_Man that girl was hot!_ He thought to himself, forgetting once again that I could hear every meditation of his in my mind. I was shocked when I immediately became overcome with a possessiveness I had never felt before. I wanted to take Charlotte away and shield her from all the bad things in the world, or at least from _Emmett_. I knew that my reaction was useless though - that I should just back away. I was me and she was she, and I knew that we could never be a _we_.

I internally grimaced at my asinine train of thought.

Emmett's shallow thoughts continued flashing through my mind until I could no longer stand it. I had to find a distraction, so I decided to take a trip downtown and wander around the market; I had promised I would bring something home for Alice.

Because of my desire for speed, the ten-minute drive from our beach house took less than three and I soon found myself in the market surrounded by a countless number of booths and hundreds of people. I slowly made my way from booth to booth, forcing myself to take my time and really search for something suitable for Alice.

I happened upon a vendor selling pocket watches; something Alice would loathe, but Jasper would appreciate. I found an antique silver watch that dated back to the civil war, and I knew it was perfect for Jasper. Hopefully Alice wouldn't be too put out if I brought something back for her mate, rather than her_. _I carefully examined it for breaks or cracks, forcing myself to focus all of my thoughts on the watch in order to keep my mind off of _her. _It must have been a half-hearted attempt though, for I soon found myself listening to the voices around me.

I was astonished to hear a strikingly familiar voice in my mind. It was Charlotte, and she was looking for me.

I brought my head up and found her at a stand a few feet away from me, our eyes locked and as hard as I tried, I couldn't fight the smile that made its way to my lips. She looked happy to see me, and the joy I felt at that moment amounted to more than I had ever felt in my entire life. I noticed that I had unintentionally begun walking toward her, and on my approach I tried to hear what she was thinking, however, her intriguing mind was blank.

When I finally reached her, I immediately looked down. I realized with chagrin that I was slightly embarrassed at my lack of eloquence. I noticed she held two wooden bracelets in her hands, one a beautiful forest green, the other a pearly white.

"You should purchase the green one" I heard myself saying after I had stared at the two bracelets for much longer than was necessary. "It matches the hue of your eyes". I pulled my face up and our eyes immediately connected, her sparkling green meeting my gold and merging our two extremely different beings. The world stood still as we reveled in each other's faces, and I smiled – feeling happier than I had in a long time.

"Hi", she whispered, her small frame dropping as she breathed out the word.

"Hello" I murmured back, barely able to find my voice since I was so consumed in her eyes. We continued marveling at one another for several minutes until I noticed Ashley's impending appearance at Charlotte's side. As I heard her coming I straightened up and gathered my thoughts as best I could.

"Hi Edward", Ashley greeted, her voice nearly bubbling over with excitement. _Wow, he really is gorgeous up close_.

"Good afternoon, Ashley. Are you girls enjoying your shopping?" I responded while hiding a grimace. Although all I wanted to do was continue the marvelous moment Charlotte and I had just shared, I assumed that making small talk would be my smartest move. The thought of having to carry on a conversation was making me uncharacteristically nervous.

"Yeah, we figured we should make use of the awful, rainy weather somehow, right Charlotte?"

"Mmhmm," Charlotte mumbled, and I chuckled to myself at the fact that Charlotte still was not forming coherent thoughts.

"I'm glad I ran into you two, I was wondering if you would be willing to join me for dinner tomorrow night. I'm new in town, and I don't have the slightest idea where to go, and I was looking for some company to explore with me." The words shot from my lips before I could stop them. _What are you doing_? My mind shouted at me, although the damage was already done. _You can't even eat! _

He couldn't even eat! The words spun around in my head as I realized they belonged to a different set of lips, or mind rather. I quickly did a double take, my head reeling from confusion. Ashley began to speak again, but I wasn't listening. I used my vampire speed to disguise my face in order to shield my astonishment from Charlotte. How would she know that? I kept asking myself. I had no idea of the answer, but I knew that something was not right.

I suddenly realized Ashley was still talking, and I brought my mind back down to earth, forcing myself to listen.

"…know I have no choice. However, Charlotte grew up around here, so she knows the area pretty well. I'm sure she would love to go, wouldn't you Charlotte?" Ashley finished, looking at her friend expectantly. Charlotte's face reminded me of a deer caught in headlights, and for a split-second I hoped that she would decline, so I could go on as though this meeting had never happened; thus keeping my families secret – not to mention her - safe. That split-second passed quickly and I was positive that she would accept my invitation. The greater part of me was thrilled with that revelation.

"I'd love to", she finally replied, and even with the knowledge that her answer would put her into a large amount of danger, my non-beating heart soared. "That is, if you're sure you want just _my_ company," she quickly added, and I had to force myself not to laugh outright at her absurd notion.

"You would be the perfect company", I replied as I slightly brushed my hand across hers, once again amazed at the sparks that seemed to fly whenever we touched. "How does seven sound?"

_Perfect_, I heard her think, and before I could stop myself words flew again.

"Great", I announced, and I cursed myself in my head. _What if she notices that?_ My mind screamed at me. It was apparent that I couldn't control myself around this girl, and that couldn't be a good thing.

She didn't seem to catch my slip-up, so I decided to leave before I could implicate my special "gift" any further. I smiled at her before turning and walking away. I was overcome with the knowledge that taking Charlotte out was a bad idea, but at this point, I couldn't imagine _not_ spending some time with her; she had utterly captivated my thoughts.

My mind kept flashing back to what I overheard in her thoughts earlier. _What did she mean?_ I kept asking myself, trying to understand what was going on in that beautiful head of hers. _There is no way she knows_, I reassured myself, and decided I would use our dinner tomorrow evening as a way to better understand what she was thinking, and who – or what she thought I was.

--

Oh goodness, I love me some Edward.

Although, he does seem to talk a lot!

I promise that the more you review the faster I'll update, so keep it coming.

Next chapter is the long awaited date (at least long awaited by me :) )


	5. Chapter 4

YAY! I got more reviews, and ya'll absoultely made my day! And I told you I would have the next chapter up faster, so here it is! Keep the reviews coming and I'll make my update time even faster than that!

--

"Charlotte, I think we should hit Urban Outfitters first. It's the only place we can afford anything," Ashley suggested as she began to lead us in the direction of the store. She was right, we were both dead broke, and although King Street was one of my favorite places in Charleston, the majority of the stores consisted of brand name clothing lines that we wouldn't be able to afford for a number of years.

I nodded my head at her proposal and silently followed her down the narrow sidewalk. I couldn't get my mind off of the enigma that is Edward Cullen. He seemed too good to be true – just like the heartbreakingly beautiful vampire of Stephenie Meyer's creation. But there was no way that _that_ could be true. Vampires are fiction. They don't exist in the real world.

_Huh, maybe I really am going crazy_, I couldn't help but argue with myself.

_If he really _is_ a vampire, why would he have asked me to dinner_? That simple invitation confused me on so many levels. _It's not like he could even eat_, I kept thinking to myself. I continued trying to make up my mind, but I was lost in confusion. He had so many characteristics that were too beautiful to be human, but at the same time I couldn't wrap my mind around the idea of vampires actually existing outside of books and movies.

_Maybe I should just go with it_, I told myself, and with that I made up my mind. I decided to believe that he was a vampire, after all, all signs led towards it. I smiled as I pictured Edward's breathtaking face in my mind. He was perfect, and a vampire, and the more I thought about him the more my doubts drifted away. _Why do I always second guess myself?_ I pondered. _Of course he's a vampire__! _The revelation didn't scare me though; instead it did quite the opposite. It left me with a feeling of exhilaration, like I had just ridden a roller coaster for the first time. The feeling brought a grin to my face and a flutter to my heart.

"What are you smiling at?" Ashley asked with a hint of suggestiveness in her tone. "You're thinking about him, aren't you?"

I shyly nodded my head in agreement. Ashley grabbed my hand and pulled me over to sit on a bench nearby. I knew there was no point in fighting it anymore. I liked Edward, and it was painfully obvious.

"I think it's cute, Charlotte. I haven't seen you this into a boy since you dated that jerk Liam our sophomore year," she said, as a scowl began to appear on her on her lips - just like it always did - at the mention of Liam.

Liam had been "Mr. Popular" back when we first started high school. He was a senior and a pretty boy, and all the girls crushed on him. Just like everyone else, I fell for him, and hard. We started dating, and I soon found out he wasn't as perfect as he seemed. For almost a year he verbally abused me as well as pressured me to go a lot further physically than I had wanted. It was Ashley that finally convinced me to get out of the relationship before I suffered any irreparable damage. Unfortunately, due to my bad experience, I have stayed away from dating ever since. As much as I hated to admit it, Liam had ruined my image of boys. That was why I have enjoyed _Twilight_ so much; Edward seemed like the ultimate gentleman, and a dream come true.

"Please, Ashley," I begged, trying not to allow the emotions that always showed up whenever Liam was mentioned to appear, "I really don't want to think about that."

"I'm sorry," she regretfully apologized, and I could see the guilt written all over her face. "I just meant …" she trailed off, obviously afraid she would say the wrong thing again. I gave her a small nod and a smile, a gesture to tell her to continue. "It seems like you really like him," she spat out eventually, "and he seems like he's a great guy. I think you'll have a fantastic time on your date."

With the mention of the word date, my stomach began doing cartwheels. I could feel the nervousness growing in the pit of my stomach. I hadn't been on a true date in almost two years. "Ashley," I stuttered out quickly, "I'm not sure I can do this". Ashley looked over and noticed my palms had started sweating and my breathing had increased to a monumental speed.

"Charlotte," she quietly said, slowly easing the words my way, "I know you can do this." And with that said, she took a hold of my hand and gave it a strong squeeze, letting me know she had the final word in this argument. She removed her hand from mine, and instead placed it around my waist. I leaned into her, glad for the support of my best friend.

I pulled my knees up to my chest and laid my head in a more comfortable position against her shoulder. In an instant I was brought back seven years as the images of my first encounter with Ashley began floating through my head.

It was my first day of sixth grade, and I had gone from a small elementary school of about 100 kids to one of the largest middle schools in the state with almost 3,000 students. I was walking outside, trying to find the way to my math class when I saw a girl sitting in a corner by the sidewalk, her small arms were gripping her legs as if they would fall apart if she let go. I could tell from her bent head and small sniffling sounds that she was crying. I immediately forgot about the hunt for my classroom and made my way over to sit beside the girl. When she heard me plunk down next to her, she lifted her head and her swollen eyes met mine. A look of fear was embedded in her face, and I easily diagnosed her problem.

"Are you lost?" I asked her, slowly inching toward her while she nodded her head yes. I leaned in to whisper to her what I didn't want anyone else to hear, "I am too".

"I'm also scared," she replied, and she gripped her legs so tightly her knuckles began to turn white.

"I am too," I said again, but this time I leaned in close to place my arm around her shaking shoulders.

She smiled in gratitude and I could see her slowly ease her hands away from her legs. "What should we do?" she asked.

"I guess we'll have to find our way together," I answered as I quickly stood up and grabbed her hand to pull her up with me. "I'm Charlotte," I told her as I bent down to pick up the purple book bag lying at her feet.

"Ashley," she responded gratefully while she began pulling the bag up around her shoulders. When the bag was securely in place I took my arm and placed it through hers, and we began walking down the pathway; two sixth graders arm-in-arm.

It seemed more like a situation that would happen in kindergarten instead of middle school, but from that moment on we became inseparable. Over the years our relationship has grown from being best friends to practically sisters. I couldn't imagine my life without her.

Ashley later told me that she was amazed by my strength, but I had always been a strong girl. Before high school I was a walking Dodge commercial – always grabbing life by the horns, but ever since my relationship with Liam, I have felt like that strength has begun to disappear.

This time it was Ashley who grabbed my hand and brought me to a standing position. We slowly made our way towards Urban Outfitters, with Ashley guiding me along for the ride. When we arrived, Ashley pulled her hand out from around me, opened the door, and pushed me inside. In a matter of seconds she had taken off on her own, and I was left feeling strangely overwhelmed. The store was huge: two stories and packed wall to wall with clothes, shoes and novelty gifts. Before I even had time to adjust, Ashley, the expert shopper, was by my side again, almost completely weighed down with clothes.

"Time to try things on," she demanded with a grin as she quickened her pace and shoved me towards the nearest dressing room. "Eighteen", she announced as she approached the woman controlling the fitting rooms.

"You're only allowed to bring six items in the dressing room," the lady snarled in return.

"Well, I guess we'll need three rooms then," Ashley snapped right back. As if she hadn't shocked the woman enough, Ashley then leaned over, grabbed three signs with the number six on them, and headed toward the dressing room. I shot the lady a look of apology, and then shrugged my shoulders. There was nothing I could do to stop Ashley once she got started.

I followed my insane best friend into the first dressing room, where she hung six garments on the wall. I tried them on for Ashley's discerning eye, then moved over to the next two dressing rooms where I continued the process. In the last dressing room there was a forest green sundress that looked about ten times too small.

"There's no way that will ever fit me," I told her, however she paid no attention to my feeble protest and took the dress off the hanger and handed it to me.

"Just try it," she replied knowingly, cutting me off before I had a chance to argue some more. I did as she said, knowing I had no other choice, and was quite surprised to find it fit perfectly. The dress hugged what little curves I had in all the right spots, making my 5'2" frame seem much taller, and brought out the green in my eyes - the dress was a miracle worker. I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled. I'm not vain, but I am confident, and was able to tell when I looked good. I slowly did a turn for Ashley and watched as her face lit up. The dress was a hit, and on sale for 30. Today just seemed to be my lucky day. I paid for the dress and then Ashley and I began the long trek down King Street.

"Thanks Ashley, for keeping me sane."

"Hey, what are best friends for?" she responded as she came closer to me to give me a pinch on the cheek. We walked a bit further down the road before I had the courage to speak the thoughts that were raging inside my mind.

"Ash," I began tentatively. She looked down at me with a confused smile, her eyes telling me to continue. "I'm scared," I stated slowly. "I really like him."

"I know," she said quietly, grabbing my hand and letting the solemn moment wash over us.

In that instant, I couldn't have been happier to have her by my side. Ashley may not have understood that part of my fright stemmed from the fact that Edward might very well be a- I forced myself to think the word- _vampire_, but she was able to comprehend the fact that I was afraid. And in that moment, that was all I needed.

--

Ok, so I know I promised this chapter would be the date, but I really felt like Charlotte and Ashley needed some time together. Ashley is a really important character, and their relationship is something special that most people only dream about. I hope you liked the chapter (even though it wasn't the date) and I promise the next chapter will be the date!

Keep the reviews coming!!

margaretderby :)


	6. Chapter 5

Okay, so its FINALLY done! I'm so sorry it took me ages to update. Breaking Dawn came out, and although it only took me 9 hours to read (I stayed up from midnight), I was stuck in a "Stephenie Meyer is AMAZING" stage for a couple days! Then I went back to school and started my part-time job, so life kind of caught up on me and the story went on the back burner. Over the past week though, this chapter took top priority, and I have to say, now that I'm finished with it...it might just be my favorite yet! ENJOY!

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"You look fantastic Charlotte", Ashley said, as I spun around once more for the final check. "Edward is one lucky guy tonight".

"Thanks, Ash," I replied with a smile. After my nuclear breakdown, Ashley would every so often try to subtly remind me what a "catch" I was – her words, not mine. She wasn't very good at the whole subtle thing though, so her comments ended up sounding more like I had acquired my own personal cheerleader, although I appreciated it all the same.

The day passed by extremely slowly, and I spent every spare moment checking my watch and counting down the hours until I would see Edward again. A smile would spread across my face whenever my thoughts turned to him, and despite how much I was looking forward to seeing him, I was extremely nervous.

_Only ten more minutes_, I thought to myself while looking at my watch once more. I felt a rush of fear climb up my spine that caused my entire body to tremble.

"Are you alright?" Ashley asked, the concern in her voice apparent.

"I'm scared, Ashley," I answered, keeping my head down in shame. I hated to admit how terrified I was of liking Edward so much.

"Charlotte, look at me," she demanded. I did as she said, having long since learned to always follow her directions. "Everything will be wonderful, and the date will be fantastic," she began, her voice taking on a more reassuring tone. "It's not like he can read your mind or anything, so just act confidant and he'll think you are."

Her words caused me to freeze; my breath caught in my throat as I tried to fight off the wave of panic taking over me. _He _can_ read my thoughts_. The whole time I had been with him, he was tapping into my mind, and like a complete moron I had forgotten. I felt a new wave of anxiety as I began thinking back on what all he probably knew about me.

_He knows how much I like him_, I thought, my hysteria increasing with each passing second. _He knows how beautiful I think he is_, and - worst of all - _he knows that I _know_. _

Before I had any more time to contemplate all the mortifying things Edward had most likely heard in my head, there was a knock at the door and my heart almost gave out.

"That must be him!" Ashley screeched, blissfully unaware of the massive panic attack I was experiencing. She bounced down the stairs, and I could hear her pull open the door and begin talking to the beautiful boy that awaited me downstairs.

"Charlotte!" Ashley called up to me. I knew that at this point stalling was out of the question, so I quickly adjusted my dress and looked in the mirror for the final check.

"Don't think anything embarrassing," I commanded myself and then quickly made my way downstairs, my silver flats smacking against the hard wood stairs.

I knew I wouldn't have to worry about baffling thoughts though, because the minute his breathtaking face came into my sight my heart stopped, and all thoughts left my head. He slowly looked up from Ashley and smiled, his liquid gold eyes connecting with mine. I continued down the stairs feeling like I was walking on air.

"Charlotte," he whispered when I reached him and I watched as his face broke out into a grin that brought a smile to my face as well.

"Hi, Edward," I replied, my voice hushed from the huge helping of fear and anxiety I was feeling.

"You look breathtaking," he told me, and with him in my presence I really did feel like the most beautiful girl in the world.

_You look ravishing_, I thought to myself and I noticed that his smile got a little bit wider at that moment. _Charlotte!_ I reprimanded myself, _shut your mind!_ I saw Edward's eyebrows knit together and a blink-and-you-miss-it frown crossed his face, however, I was a too busy trying to force the red away from my cheeks to pay attention to the implications. Not wanting to embarrass myself any further, I decided a simple thank you would suffice.

"Thanks, you look nice too," I responded nervously. I had finally pulled myself together enough to get a good look at him. He was wearing a pair of dress jeans with a black button down shirt that perfectly showed the shape of his muscular body. Every strand of his stunning copper hair was perfectly placed and his golden eyes seemed to glimmer more than I could have possibly imagined. He was carrying a bundle of sunflowers in his hands, and I smiled, wondering how he managed to pick out my favorite flower.

He must have heard me think that, because his smile continued to grow and he slowly handed me the beautiful yellow sunflowers in his hands.

"These are for you," He said, and I thought I detected a slight hint of nervousness in his voice. I began to wonder where the confident Edward I had read about had gone too, but I quickly shut those thoughts down before they could continue.

"Thanks," I replied, smiling even further as his hand brushed mine. "Sunflowers are my favorite." With this he gave me a knowing smile, and I wondered if Alice could have possibly had anything to do with flower choice.

At that moment we both remembered Ashley, and I looked over to see her standing to the side, smiling at us like we were two teenagers about to head off to a school dance. I was half expecting her to whip out her camera and snap a picture – and I wouldn't put it past her to do that.

It seemed like Edward caught on to the unbelievable amount of awkwardness that was occurring, and he quickly came to my rescue.

"Well, I think we should probably head out. We have quite a bit of exploring to do, and I wouldn't want to have Charlotte out too late," he began. _What is he doing?_ I asked myself. _Please keep me out late!_ Edward then turned towards me and winked so quickly I almost missed it. "Is eleven all right?" he asked, addressing Ashley once more.

"Ten-thirty," she compromised, a menacing look across her face.

_What are they doing?_ I wondered, as I began mentally flipping out. _Is this supposed to be some kind of joke? _I sent Ashley the deadliest stare I could muster and watched her begin cracking up.

"Just don't keep her out too late," she replied sternly, and then broke into another fit of giggles as I buried my face into my hands – mentally waving a white flag in defeat.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Edward added as he offered his arm to me. I carefully placed my hand in the crook of his elbow, feeling the coolness of his skin through his shirt. My breathing stopped completely and my entire body trembled from head to toe. My body shook from the amount of chemistry that seemed to radiate from our bodies every time we touched. _I wonder if he feels it too_, I thought before remembering he could hear everything I said. I thought I felt him tense up a bit, and I immediately pulled all thoughts from my head. I knew it was going to be a difficult night.

After a quick good-bye to Ashley, Edward slowly led me down the narrow steps towards his car, and I wasn't surprised to see his Volvo waiting for us in the driveway. I smiled as we approached it; it fit every description in the book. Edward carefully removed my hand from his elbow and opened up my door – being the perfect gentleman Stephenie Meyer described.

As I settled into my seat, I watched Edward gracefully get in on his side. Our eyes made contact as the Volvo's engine roared to life and my breath left me for what felt like the twelfth time that night.

"I thought we'd drive downtown and leave the car parked, and then take a walk around the city," he said as we began driving into the cool night. I looked out the window and noticed that the view from my window was constantly changing, flashing by my eyes in an instant. I then realized just how fast we were going, and while I was slightly nervous I was also exhilarated.

He parked his car and we began our tour by taking a walk by the Cooper River, my favorite spot in Charleston. The sun had just set, and strips of pink were slowly disappearing behind the dark clouds.

"Ashley said you grew up around here," Edward stated as we began ambling along next to the river.

"Yeah, I grew up in Hanahan, a tiny town on the outskirts of Charleston, and my mom used to drive me into the city about every weekend. But, when I was twelve we moved to Boston, so I haven't been down here in a while," I replied easily.

I then showed Edward all my favorite spots: the park bench where my dad proposed to my mom, the hotel my mom worked at before I was born, the street where I had learned to ride a bike (which, of course, led to showing him the multiple places I fell off of my bike), the spot on the river where I dropped my favorite pair of sunglasses when I was eight, and many others. I found that talking to Edward was easy, and as the night continued I found myself less and less nervous.

As we approached Market Street I remembered the Peninsula Grill, a perfect spot for a first date. It was slightly casual, but had a nice ambiance to it, and it carried pretty much any kind of food you could want. _Except mountain lion_, I thought and I quickly turned my head toward Edward to see how he had interpreted that thought. His face was hidden under its usual serene beauty, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so to disguise my attempted analysis I told him about the restaurant.

"There's a great restaurant up here if you're hungry," I told him, wondering what his excuse was going to be for not eating.

"Sounds wonderful," his velvety voice replied, but I saw his jaw clench after his response. Keeping up my façade of naivety, I acted as though I hadn't seen a thing, and I began to walk toward Market Street, Edward following behind me. We arrived at the Peninsula Grill and were quickly seated at a small, romantic table for two. We both ordered water, and although I was extremely curious to see what Edward did with his drink, I forced myself to keep it out of my mind. Not wanting to linger on my revealing thoughts any longer I decided the change in scenery also required a change in "interviewers"; it was my turn to ask the questions.

"You've asked about me all night, but I haven't gotten to ask you anything yet." _Of course, I'll probably know all of your answers but…_

"I enjoyed getting to know you better, but if I must be questioned, then yes – it is your turn," he replied, not showing any sign of confusion to my earlier thought, although I knew what a skilled actor he was.

"Good," I responded with a smile. "So, where are you from? I'm assuming, that like me, you're in Charleston for vacation."

"Yes, I'm from…" _Alaska_ "Alaska. My brother and I needed a break from the cold weather." _And Tanya… _

"You picked a pretty bad time to come; it's supposed to rain nonstop for the next month," I replied, internally cursing myself for thinking his answer before he said it.

"I don't mind the rain," he replied, keeping an air of mystery about himself, although I knew exactly what he meant.

My questions continued along the same path, and much to my chagrin I thought about everything he was going to say before he even answered my question, and although his face never showed the slightest hint of confusion, I could see the conflict in his eyes.

He told me all about Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Alice, Jasper, and Emmett – or at least as much as he could say without giving anything away, and I seemed to never be in control of my thoughts. He was probably completely lost and worried, but he never showed it.

We both ordered, and when the food came I chowed down while Edward just moved the food around his plate. I'm sure he thought I wouldn't notice, but I did and I tried futilely not to think about the reason.

We finished dinner, well Ifinished dinner, but we continued to sit and talk for what seemed like hours. Edward seemed fascinated with my life, almost as interested in me as I was in him. We had talked about everything, and I felt like he knew me completely, although we had spent only a few hours together. Talking with Edward was one of the easiest things I had done, although I found I had an extremely hard time hiding my thoughts from his talented mind.

I was telling Edward about the time I almost broke my hand in fifth grade (by trying to punch my friend Louis), when he slowly reached across the table and brushed his hand across mine. I could tell he wanted to take hold of it, but I also knew he was probably afraid he would kill me or something.

Silly vampire.

As soon as the words entered my head I froze. I knew Edward had heard it, and I saw a quick flash of fear fly across his face. I unconsciously reached for his hands, placing both of mine on top of his, and he immediately looked up, his face masked into complete nonchalance once more.

You don't have to do this, I told myself, but it was a big fat lie. I knew I had to tell him. He had heard my unedited thoughts, and it was unfair to leave him constantly wondering what all I knew. I had to tell him everything.

I took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. He stared back, and once again a connection was made. Every time we looked in each other's eyes, something perfect happened; it was as if our two souls became one. He gave me a gentle smile, telling me to continue, and I knew he understood how difficult this was for me, even if he didn't know where my knowledge came from.

_Edward_, I thought to myself, _I know you can read my mind. _

In an instant a thousand emotions danced across his face, but after a second or two they settled on confusion and fright.

"What?" he whispered, his voice begged me to continue, but his eyes pleaded with me to stop. I wanted to stop, ignorance was always easiest, but I knew it was not an option, and as he nodded to me, I knew he did too.

"I know what you are," I whispered low enough for only him to hear.

I know everything.

A flash of fear crossed his face, followed very quickly by a look of resolve.

"Tell me."

--

I know...I'm mean.

I hate to leave you on a cliff hanger, but I felt like it was the best ending for this chapter. I hadn't originally planned for all of this to happen in this chapter, but my characters kind of took over again. Charlotte is a really honest person, and she hates hurting Edward...especially since she has really deep feeling for him. I hope you loved it, and I am DYING to hear your thoughts! Did you think she'd tell him like this? Is she absolutely insane? What is Edward going to do in response? I have my ideas...but I love hearing your thoughts...and you never know when one of your suggestions will end up in a chapter :)

On another note, now that I've been with the characters a bit longer, I'm starting to think about them ALL the time (they are taking over my life!). As I wrote this chapter, I started wondering "what would Charlotte's gift be if she was a vampire?". I know...I'm weird, and that will probably never happen, but I couldn't help but wonder. I finally decided, but I'd love to hear other peoples thoughts, so let me know! Would Charlotte be able to read minds? See the future? Protect her loved ones? Would she even have a gift?

Hopefully the next chapter will be up next week, but I can't guarentee anything. Please stick with the story though...its just now getting good!

Chapter 7: The Reaction


	7. Chapter 6

Well...here we go again! I am so sorry this chapter took forever to get up! I actually had it done a couple weeks ago, but last week my computer broke, and I took it to the computer fixing store and they told me it was dead. Completely gone for all eternity and there was a chance I wouldn't get any of my documents back. Luckily, that got taken care of, but I still don't have a new computer, so I'm having to use my brother's Mac...and trust me- it's not going well. Mac's and I just don't get along very well, thus the extremely late chapter. Without a computer though, I've had lots less time to waste, so I've gotten lots done for the story. So, here it is...chapter six- where Charlotte spills all! Can't wait to hear what you think!

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I didn't know where to begin. Edward deserved to know where my knowledge came from, yet I couldn't help but feel as though I should keep some of the _Twilight_ plot details to myself. I knew that Forks, WA _is_ a real town, and it made me wonder whether some of the other characters were real as well. The thought was pretty asinine, but it did plague my mind, and I was having serious trouble deciding what the right thing to do was. _The right thing to do would have been not getting involved at all_, I thought to myself, but even as I thought it, I knew I wouldn't have done anything differently since my first encounter with Edward Cullen.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else," I offered. I hated to make him wait for my answers any longer, but we both knew we wouldn't be able to properly talk about anything in a crowded restaurant. I also knew I needed a few minutes to gather my thoughts.

Silently, Edward nodded his head, and after he placed some cash on the table, we both slowly made our way toward the door. Edward moved like a zombie behind me; he was so clearly in shock that he had completely stopped pretending he was all right - something very out of character for him. I was surprised he wasn't zipping through the restaurant at vampire speed he seemed so disconcerted.

As we made our way out into the warm air outside, I once again grabbed ahold of Edward's hand. It was an unconscious motion, and I hardly noticed the piercing coolness of his skin against mine. When I registered the position of our hands, I expected Edward to pull back, but surprisingly he made no effort to take his hand away from mine. I wanted to smile and squeal with joy, however, I knew I needed to focus on how I was going to explain everything to Edward.

I led us to a bench that faced the river, and because of the late hour there was hardly anyone around. We both quickly sat down, not wanting to wait any longer for the inevitable conversation that was about to take place – the one that would most likely alter our relationship, and our lives, forever. I couldn't help but admire the way the moonlight struck Edward's perfect, beautiful stone face, but as soon as I looked up and saw the fear and confusion in his eyes, I remembered why we were here in the first place.

I took a deep, calming breath with my nose, and then blew it slowly out through pursed lips, trying to decide just how much to tell him. I decided to start at the beginning – the day we met.

"Edward," I began, my voice barely a whisper, so that only he could hear it. "Remember the day we first met, when I said that you reminded me of a character in a book," I continued, speaking slowly so that he was able to fully comprehend everything I was saying with his mind all out of whack.

"You thought my name before I even had time to answer," he interjected, and I could see a new level of understanding break through to his head.

"That's because I already knew your name. You see, the character in the book _is_ you. I'm pretty sure someone wrote a book about you and your family."

Edward sat there, completely dumbfounded, frozen in time for almost a full minute. I was starting to worry that he wasn't okay, but then he spoke again.

"What do you know?" he whispered so softly that I wasn't sure he even asked the question.

"You were born in Chicago in 1901. Carlisle found you in the hospital dying of the Spanish Influenza. After your parents had already died from the disease, he chose to change you. Esme came soon after, and then Rosalie – who found Emmett a few years later and brought him to Carlisle to change. Alice and Jasper joined your family with the help of Alice's gift," I told him, the words coming to me much easier than I expected them too.

Edward continued staring at me, completely dumbfounded as I continued recounting almost every detail of his and his family's life.

"You can read minds, Alice can see the future, and Jasper can control the emotions of others around him. You only drink the blood of animals, and that's why your eyes are gold and not red. You are all indescribably beautiful, strong, and fast. You play the piano and compose your own songs. Your entire family loves to drive fast. Alice is a shop-a-holic. In addition to your Volvo you drive a Vanquish, but it's only for special occasions. When you stand in the sunlight, you shine like millions of diamonds are inside your skin glittering against the sunlight. You are unbelievably graceful. You can't sleep, and you don't even have to breathe."

I was listing off every random thing I could think of that I shouldn't have known, yet I still did. Edward couldn't even think of anything to say, and I knew I should have stopped and given him time to process my words, but they kept coming out of my mouth like vomit.

"You're pretty much perfect. You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen. You're incredibly smart, funny, kind, determined, and good at everything you attempt. You're amazing," I finished, and it began to dawn on me that in addition to telling Edward I knew all about him, his family, and his secret, I had also pretty much confessed my love for him. I couldn't hide the flush of embarrassment that made its way to my cheeks, but Edward didn't seem to notice.

"What's it called?" He asked abruptly, his question catching me off guard.

"What's what called?" I replied, not fully comprehending his train of thought.

"The book," he whispered, obviously still trying to except everything I had just told him.

"_Twilight_," I answered, my voice just as quiet as his. "I've read it 12 times," I added.

"I need to call Carlisle," he stated plainly, and then stood up. I sat staring at my knees for a second longer, not completely sure what to say next. Once I gathered my thoughts, I looked up, expecting him to still be where he had last spoken. Instead I looked up to see the dark black night enveloping the river, and nothing else.

--

I'm SORRY! I can't help it though...I'm a huge fan of the hook ending. I have to leave ya'll wanting more! Please don't kill me! Let me know what you think! Next chapter- where on earth did Edward go?


	8. Chapter 7

I am SO sorry! I in no way intended to leave ya'll at a cliffhanger for almost three months...that's just mean! I had temporarily put this story on hold to focus on finishing up my first semester of school, but today I recieved an unbelieveable review on and it inspired me to get writing once again. So, here it is...the (hopefully) long awaited chapter seven.

Much thanks to my wonderful beta saram05, without whom none of this would be possible

Of course, Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight...even Edward :(

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He was gone.

I was stranded in Charleston, a 20 minute drive from the beach house, and Edward was gone.

I stood up and did a quick walk around the block to make sure he hadn't just left the immediate area, but deep down I knew he was gone. I couldn't explain how, it was just one of those things that I knew.

I decided to go back to where we had parked the car, so I could see if he left me completely stranded or if he had just run off – literally. As I made my way toward the parking lot, I willed myself not to cry, but it didn't work._ What was I thinking?_ I kept asking myself. I don't know how I could have thought going on a date with an extremely self-loathing character from a book was a good idea. I couldn't help the tears that began pouring from my eyes, although I justified them with the knowledge that they had been a long way coming.

When I finally reached the parking lot some time later, I was relieved to see that the silver Volvo was still there. _He didn't completely leave me! _I ran up to it and gave it a kiss - I was so happy. Not knowing what else to do, I pulled myself up on to the hood and decided to wait.

I sat there, crying uncontrollably for what seemed like hours. I didn't have the heart to look at my cell phone to see just how long I had been sitting there – completely pathetic. I finally heard a noise from across the parking lot, and my heart jumped out of my chest.

As I looked up I could barely make out a figure walking toward me in the dark night. As the person approached, I could tell it was Edward, and my entire body was suddenly flooded with thousands of emotions. I was angry at him for running off and leaving me, yet I had so much empathy for him, because I knew everything I told him must have been incredibly difficult for him to hear. I was sad that he was hurt and confused, but I was also happy that he knew and now we could move on without this dark secret looming over us. My emotional roller-coaster ride came to a halt when the relief that Edward had come back settled in. His exquisite beauty stunned me once again as he came closer and closer.

"Charlotte…"

"Edward…" We said at the same time.

"Please," he said, and I could see the guilt forming across his eyes. "Allow me to apologize. I am terribly sorry. The way I just treated you was inexcusable, rude, and immature. Although the conversation we had earlier was unexpected, I should not have left you sitting on that park bench. Will you forgive me?" He asked.

A large part of me wanted to say no. I wanted to yell, scream, and shout that I had practically professed my love to him and he had left me all alone in the middle of Charleston, where who knows what could have happened to me. But one look at the pain, misery, and guilt buried in the shine of his stunning gold eyes wiped all of those bitter thoughts from my head.

"Of course," I told him, because what else could I have said? "Edward, I just told you an entire account of your life – I wasn't expecting a calm reaction. I really didn't know _what _to expect. I'm the one who needs to apologize. I shouldn't have sprung everything on you so quickly. I understand that I put both of our lives in danger, and I'm incredibly sorry," I told him, completely willing to take the majority of the blame for our current predicament.

"Charlotte," he breathed with a mystified and humored tone to his voice. "You have absolutely no reason to apologize." He slowly took my hand in his, and the gesture shocked me so much I thought I was going to fall over. I hardly noticed the coolness of his hand; I was completely overwhelmed with the urge to kiss him. I tried to push the idea out of my mind, but I couldn't. I wanted to kiss him more than anything, and I couldn't help but wonder if he wanted to kiss me too.

I thought I heard him whisper "It's too dangerous", but I couldn't be sure; the next words flew from his mouth before I had time to contemplate it any further.

"Well, Miss Monroe – I believe we have a curfew to meet," he said as he took his hand from mine and stood up straight. As he looked up towards the pitch-black night sky, he added, "and it seems we're already running a bit late." He finished off the sentence with a smile, but I could tell it was half-assed. It wasn't the crooked smile I was looking for.

Like the perfect gentleman he was, Edward walked me to the passenger's side of the Volvo and helped me in, then at a human pace, walked around the car and got inside himself. We drove out of Charleston and once again the scenery outside flew by us. The short ride was completely silent, although I was glad that neither of us tried to fill the air with uncomfortable small talk.

We pulled into the driveway of the small beach house, and as Edward turned off the car, neither one of us made a move to exit the vehicle. We sat in silence for about three more minutes before I finally had the guts to ask the question that had filled my thoughts ever since his abrupt departure from earlier that night.

"Where did you go?" I asked him quietly.

"I called Carlisle," he told me after about a minute had passed. "He's coming to Charleston. He should be here by tomorrow evening."

I tried to stop my insides from doing a happy dance, but I couldn't help it. Three of the four Cullen men all within walking distance of my house – I couldn't help but be excited!

For Edward's sake though, I tried to be nonchalant, however lying had never really been a strongpoint of mine. Nevertheless, I gave it my best effort. "Oh, cool," I told him, turning to look out the window so that Edward wouldn't be able to see the massive grin that was taking over my face.

Edward, however, just laughed at my feeble attempt. "I would be honored for you to meet him," He told me, his once joking manner turning serious once again.

"And I would _love_ to meet him," I responded, turning this time so that he could see just how true that statement was.

_I'm already meeting the parents!_ My mind shouted against my will.

Edward just laughed again, and climbed out of his car and walked around to let me out too. He opened the door, and took my hand in his as he slowly and carefully helped me out of the car. When we were both standing, Edward hesitated a bit, then bent down and quickly brushed his lips across my hand. My whole body shivered at the contact, and it literally felt like fireworks were exploding from my hand.

"I truly am sorry," Edward whispered, his velvety voice melting my heart.

I wanted to respond, but I was still so amazed by the wave of chemistry I felt that I could hardly find words to think, let alone speak.

"Goodnight, Charlotte," Edward whispered. He quickly squeezed my hand once more, then walked to his car, backed up, and drove away.

I stayed frozen in shock for what seemed like hours, my hand still tingling from Edward's cool lips. When I was finally convinced I had enough strength to make it up the stairs, I walked into the house and slowly made my way toward my bedroom, noticing that the clock on the wall said 12:09.

"So, how was it?" Ashley greeted as I walked in the bedroom, her voice taking on the same nonchalant tone mine had only moments earlier.

_Pull yourself together Charlotte! _I screamed to myself. _Ashley can't know anything strange is going on! _"Oh, you know, it was just dinner – nothing exciting."

"And how was Edward?" She asked, obviously prying for more details.

"I'm pretty sure he's perfect," I told her as lunged toward my bed, tackling her in the process.

"So, spill!" She demanded. And I did. I told her everything I could, until we were both completely worn out from all of our talking.

Ashley finally left for her own room, and I changed into my pajamas and got ready for bed. As I was washing my face, a little light bulb appeared above my head. Before I climbed into bed, I walked to my window and moved the latch from the right to left, praying that a certain someone might have a knack for climbing into unlocked windows.

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Ta-Da!

Probably not worth the three month wait, but I kind of liked it! Let me know what you thought, who knows, you're review may inspire me even more :)! I promise the next chapter will be out in a week...if not, I give you permission to hunt me down. :)


	9. Chapter 8

I'm back for good! I promise! All thanks goes to my new, wonderful beta xrxdanixrx, whithout whom this story would be a lot more difficult to understand! Sadly - I don't own anything Twilight, clearly, as I am the one still working in retail making minimum wage. Enjoy!

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I woke up the next morning unsure whether last night had been a dream, or if the most exciting, amazing, terrifying, and exhilarating night of my life had actually happened.

I sat up in my bed and looked around my room to find my window was still open, and a huge wave of happiness came over me as I realized everything that had occurred last night was true. Carlisle was coming here, to Charleston, and I was going to meet him.

Before I could celebrate just how unbelievable my life had become, another realization hit me. I stopped and squinted out my still-open window. Edward hadn't come last night and it was sunny out, which meant yet another day without him.

I dragged my body out of bed, not at all looking forward to the Edwardless day ahead of me. As I walked out of my bedroom, the powerful aroma of bacon and Sister Shubert's rolls overwhelmed me and my day was brightened, even if just a little bit.

"Ashley, you are a god," I praised her as I bounced up the stairs and into a seat.

"It's sunny, I'm celebrating!" Ashley squealed when I reached the top of the stairs, her unnaturally high voice almost burning a hole in my eardrum.

"Yay!" I replied, mimicking her screeching volume. She shot me a dirty look and then handed me a plate of the deliciousness I had smelt from down the stairs. "Thank God you can cook," I mumbled, as I stuffed my face as gracefully and lady like as a starving teenager possibly could.

My cooking skills were limited to break-and-bake cookies and instant mashed potatoes, so Ashley's fantastic cooking became just another reason I couldn't live without her.

"Thank God we finally have some sun!" she replied, positively beaming just at the thought of it. While I wanted to kick the sun from here to eternity so I could spend my day with Edward, I knew I owed it to Ashley to cheer up and enjoy our day.

Ashley decided we would spend our rare sunny day by the pool, and I decided I would actually have some fun.

_Who knows, _I thought, _maybe the sun will take my mind off of…Edward…things. _

As we lay out by the pool however, the attempt to take my mind off of Edward seemed futile. I could not keep my mind from coming back to the beautiful golden eyes and the irresistible crooked smile that awaited me tonight.

Tonight I would meet Carlisle Cullen.

Tonight, all my questions would be answered.

I was nervous. Nervous he wouldn't show up. Nervous he wouldn't like me. Nervous he wouldn't approve. I was nervous I would ask all the wrong questions. Nervous I would get all the wrong answers. Nervous I would get the answers I expected.

As much as I didn't want to think it, there was one thought that kept plaguing my mind.

_What if everything is true?_

It was crazy enough that two, make that three, of my favorite book characters had come to life, so how crazy could it be if the entire book was reality?

_What if, somewhere out in Phoenix, Arizona, there really is a Bella Swan. What if I'm falling for a guy that's, technically speaking, already taken? What if I'm Bella Swan?_

The random thought was beyond asinine, but I couldn't help but hope it was true.

_Sure, my name isn't the same, and we didn't meet in Forks. I'm not really very clumsy, and I don't despise shopping. I can't cook to save my life, and I'm not embarrassed all that easily, but still…_

The more I thought about it, the crazier it seemed. I wanted to be Bella Swan. I wanted Edward to fall madly in love with me. Something was happening between us, that much was clear, but who knew where it would lead.

_Besides, after he talks to Carlisle he might be done with me for good. Probably be afraid he'll kill me or something stupid like that._

I heard a splash in the pool behind me, and before I could react, the lower half of my body was covered in water.

"Get in!" I heard Ashley shout behind me.

Deciding I had done enough Edward contemplating for one day, I jumped up off my pool chair, stuck my tongue out at my best friend, and dove in the water, leaving my copy of Twilight, and all thoughts of Edward, behind.

That evening, I opened the door and I couldn't stop the smile that appeared on my face the moment Edward came into view.

_You're beautiful_, I thought to myself. I saw him smile and I turned away as a slight blush came across my cheeks.

"I keep forgetting you can do that," I said, turning around to face him once again.

"_You're_ beautiful," he replied, staring at me with all seriousness.

I tried to whisper a thank-you, but I was once again lost in his magical golden eyes.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked. I nodded and we began walking down the stairs. I looked around for the Volvo, but it was nowhere to be seen.

"We're not going to run there, are we?" I joked. He smiled, but I was pretty sure that mentioning his super speed freaked him out a bit, and I made a mental note to tone down the vampire references.

"I don't mind, I promise. It just takes a bit of getting used to is all," he answered, smiling at me in return. "And we're walking actually – I prefer to save running for the third date," he joked back.

_Date?_ _Did he just say date?!_

Edward breathed out a chuckle, and then, so lightly that I almost couldn't feel it, he placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me forward.

The walk wasn't long; Edward was only staying a few neighborhoods down from mine. The Cullen beach house was small and quaint, nothing like what I imagined the Cullen household to be, but even from the outside I could tell that it was just as elegant and extraordinary as Stephenie Meyer had described their home in Forks. We began the walk up towards the house, and the further we walked up the driveway, the faster the butterflies pounded away in my stomach.

We approached the door, and all I could think about was how nervous I was. My heart was pounding in my chest and I felt certain that I would screw something up or make a horrible impression.

"You'll be fine," he whispered as his cool fingers lightly squeezed mine. He slowly opened the door and guided me into the narrow hallway. "Carlisle?" Edward called. "We're here."

I thought that the last couple of days would have prepared me for seeing Carlisle for the first time, but as he rounded the corner and gracefully glided into the hallway, I was shocked once again. Carlisle Cullen was the exact replica of everything that Stephenie Meyer had described. From his blond hair to his compassion-filled eyes, everything was the same.

"Miss Monroe – it's a pleasure to meet you. Edward has told me so much about you." Even his voice was exactly as I had imagined.

"Please, call me Charlotte," I replied hesitantly. "And really, you have no idea what an honor it is to meet you."

"Shall we sit?" Carlisle asked. He led us through the hallway and into a spacious, yet beautifully decorated living room. I could see touches of Esme's style everywhere, and I couldn't help but break into a huge grin when I noticed the black grand piano that was seated in the corner.

The three of us sat down, Edward and I on the couch and Carlisle in the chair across from the coffee table, facing us. The furniture looked as though it had barley been used, and I felt sure that I was the only one fully enjoying the comfort of the beautifully ornate furniture beneath us.

"I hate to be so direct, Charlotte, but I'm afraid I don't have much time. I need you to tell me everything you know, and how you know it."

So, I did. I told Carlisle about Stephenie Meyer and _Twilight_. I told him all of the information I knew, about his himself, about Edward, and about the rest of his family. I repeated his history to him, and watched his shocked face as I told him of his past with perfect accuracy. Lastly, I told him that Stephenie Meyer planned to write another book, that his story was not yet complete.

As I finished, I leaned back on the couch, mentally exhausted after an hour of telling tales and answering questions. The house was silent as Carlisle processed the information.

Edward sat next me perfectly still. He wasn't even going through the motions of breathing anymore. Finally, it was he who broke the silence.

"I think the answer seems perfectly clear, Carlisle," Edward spoke. "We read this book."

Immediately, Carlisle shook his head no.

"It's not messing with fate Carlisle! It's figuring out what to do next! It's deciding whether this Stephenie Meyer woman is writing about us, about our future!" He wasn't yelling at Carlisle, but his voice was raised. I had never seen him this confused, this frustrated, this angry.

"Edward, if this book is true, it contains our future. If we see it, we might try to prevent it, and bad things happen when you try to stop fate. It's not a good idea, and I won't permit it."

"But…" Edward began, and then quickly came to a stop. He lowered his head in defeat, and then stood up so quickly that I didn't even realize he was standing until after the fact.

"I'm sorry," he said, this time directing his words towards me, "but I have to get some fresh air."

_Go._

He walked out of the room, and less than a second later I heard the front door quietly shut behind me.

"I've noticed he likes to run," I said, in a pathetic attempt for a joke. My laugh was forced however, and the smile that came across Carlisle's face was one of pity. "I have a copy of the book with me, if just you want to read it," I offered quietly.

"That's kind of you Charlotte, but I meant what I said to Edward. If this book speaks the truth, then I'm afraid I too would be tempted to change the future. I fear that messing with something as delicate and incomprehensible as time could cause irreparable damage," he replied.

"Do you think it's real, then? Do you think _Twilight_ is your future?" I forced the words out of my mouth, and they came out in a whisper so quiet that only a vampire would be able to hear it. It was the question that had been pressing on my heart all day. It was the question whose answer I feared the most. It was the question that brought tears to my eyes.

"Honestly, Charlotte, I have no idea. I don't think we ever will know until it does or doesn't come true."

Carlisle's answer should have calmed me. It should have made the pound of bricks that was pressing on my heart lift, but I knew that only a 'no' would do that for me. Instead, my tears only fell faster, as I was overcome with the situation I was facing.

How could I willingly allow myself to fall for a vampire that may, someday soon, leave me to be with a woman he loves more?

But then, how could I not fall for Edward Cullen?

"Carlisle…I think I should probably tell you something, about the book." I was unsure whether telling Carlisle was the right thing to do, but I was at a loss for what else to do, and I knew that if anyone would know, it would be Carlisle.

"What is it, Charlotte?" He asked.

"_Twilight_ isn't just about your family," I answered. "It's a love story – about Edward. He falls in love with a human…." I watched as Carlisle processed the information. "I don't know what to do next." "If it's true…" I trailed off, knowing that I didn't need to finish my thought aloud for Carlisle to know exactly what I was thinking.

After what seemed to be hours, even though I knew it was only minutes, Carlisle responded. "We don't know if it's true Charlotte."

"So then, what do I do next then? What are you thinking?" I asked him, cutting my thoughts short.

"More than anything, I care about the well-being of my son. If spending time with you makes him happy, then it is of no fault with me. Edward can handle himself. In the past hour or so, however, I have grown to care about the well-being of you as well Charlotte. You're a sweet girl, and I have to make sure that you completely understand the dangers of the situation you are putting yourself in."

"I know that he could hurt me, but I also know that he won't. He's a lot stronger than anyone believes."

"You've only known him for a few days," Carlisle countered.

"I feel as though I've known him my whole life," I whispered back. "I promise Carlisle, I'm not afraid." And I wasn't afraid; of being killed that is. Being left, getting hurt, having my heart broken – those were the things I was afraid of.

"All I ask is that you be careful," Carlisle said.

"I…" I was cut short by the opening of the back door. I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes and tried to erase my thoughts of everything that Carlisle and I had just discussed, so that Edward wouldn't know.

"Good evening, Edward," Carlisle spoke as he stood and offered his seat to him. "Here, take my seat. I believe you and Charlotte have some things to talk about".

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Well, what's the verdict?! Love it or hate it? How about you let me know in a review!

:)


	10. Chapter 9

How impressed are you with my updating time?! I must say - I'm pretty proud of myself! Well...here goes chapter nine! As always, everything belongs to the incredible Stephenie Meyer (except Charlotte...she's all mine!). And much thanks to those beta's who make my work actually readable :)

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Edward sat down in the chair that had once belonged to Carlisle, and Carlisle swiftly and gracefully left the room.

"Where'd you go this time?" I asked him jokingly, and he smiled, but the smile never reached his eyes.

"I'm sorry I always run off – it seems to be my way of handling things, huh?" He answered, his half-assed smile coming to his face again.

_You have no idea._

If my thought had confused Edward, he didn't let it show. "What did you and Carlisle talk about? If you don't mind my asking that is…" he trailed off, and I knew he probably didn't want to hear the answer as much as I didn't want to tell it.

"Of course not," I answered. "We talked about….I don't know…I mean lots of stuff…I told him what I knew…he asked questions…I answered them…just….well, you know…" My answer came out in babble, partly because I was overwhelmed with the discussion Carlisle and I had, but mostly because I didn't want Edward to know what we had discussed.

Edward chuckled at my response, but then grew quiet and more serious.

"Charlotte, I'm worried," he said, and from his expression alone I could tell that he meant it.

"There's nothing to worry about," I told him in an attempt to reassure him, but we both knew the statement was a lie.

"There's _everything_ to worry about," he responded. "I'm a vampire, Charlotte". I watched Edward force the word _vampire_ out of his mouth, his disgust with himself and what he was completely evident. "Every moment you spend with me is putting your life at risk. Worse than that, you know I'm a vampire. Do you even realize how much trouble that could get you in? If the Volturi ever found out…" he trailed off again, his voice shaking.

I had no idea what the Volturi was, but from the reaction Edward had to the name, I knew it couldn't be good.

"It's not like I'd ever tell anyone, Edward. I come home this summer and my mom asks, 'how was the beach, Char?' and I respond 'Oh, it was so much fun. I dated a vampire, but don't worry mom, he only drinks the blood of animals'. Because that just sounds so believable," I said with a heavy dose of sarcasm in my voice.

_Besides Edward, if spending time with you means putting my life at risk, it's a risk I'm willing to take._

"How can you say that?" he asked me. I knew the words would cause this reaction, and I hated that he could pick them out of my head before I had the chance to take them back. As I continued thinking about it though I realized I wouldn't take it back.

"Edward, the past two days with you have been better than the past month and a half I've spent at this beach house combined. You've been the best thing that's happened to me since…since, ever. You're worth it," I told him sincerely.

"Do you understand what you're saying? Do you even realize how dangerous this is? I could kill you, Charlotte," he told me.

I knew he was right, but I wasn't afraid.

_If you can resist Bella's blood then you sure as hell can resist mine_.

I knew I shouldn't be so angry, but I couldn't help it. I was used to his self-loathing "I'm so dangerous" act in _Twilight_, but experiencing it for myself was beyond frustrating. I was finally beginning to understand everything Bella dealt with.

_If you were so afraid you were going to kill me, then why'd you even bother asking me out in the first place? _

The words were in my head before I could stop them, and I immediately regretted thinking them.

"Don't answer that," I spat out angrily before he could say anything.

"When you first met me and you knew exactly who I was, I was amazed, terrified, and confused all at once. I wanted to know how you knew those things. I asked you to dinner that night out of selfish purposes, and I truly apologize, but Charlotte, you're beautiful, kind, intelligent, and forgiving. Those are the reasons that I want to spend time with you still. I'm sorry, I truly am. I don't mean to frustrate you, and I realize the situation my selfish tendencies have put you in is extremely unfair. I just don't want to hurt you. You understand that, don't you?" His response was much too kind for the attitude I was putting on, and I felt bad instantly.

"I do, and I'm sorry too. It's just…those things you just said about me…I feel all of them - a thousand times over. I've only known you for two days; don't you think that says something? I'm not afraid of you, Edward. You won't kill me, I know it. I promise you, I'm not afraid. Can't we just try this Edward?"

"Charlotte…" he whined, and I could easily see the pain inflicted in his beautiful golden eyes.

"Fine," I replied, feeling slightly guilty, knowing the pain in his eyes was because of me. I wasn't willing to give in just yet though. "Can't we at least just be friends?" I had no idea if I could be just friends when the smartest, kindest, most beautiful being was sitting next to me, but at this point, just friends was better than nothing.

"I don't know if I can either…" I heard him whisper so quietly he thought I didn't hear.

"We can try?" I begged him hopefully.

"We can try," he agreed. "Come on," he said as he stood up from the chair and walked over to me. "I'll walk you home. I think we've both had enough for tonight."

I stood up and followed him towards the front door. I peeked in the kitchen to say goodbye to Carlisle, and it hurt me to think that this would probably be the last time I'd ever see him.

"It truly was a pleasure to meet you," Carlisle said as he shook my hand and patted me on the shoulder.

Edward and I made the short trip home quietly. I knew he was listening to my thoughts, so I stuck in a _I'm fine, I promise_ as often as I could and tried not to think too much about everything that had just happened and about what was to come. When we reached the beach house, Edward stopped at the edge of the driveway, politely said "Goodnight, Charlotte," and then turned around to leave.

"I don't even get a hug goodbye?" I asked, slightly hurt by the curt goodbye. Edward looked at me skeptically, and before he had time to decide I smiled and said, "It's what friends do."

Edward walked towards me, and I met him halfway. I looked up at him and smiled and then before he knew what was coming I threw my arms around him and pulled my body as close to his as I could physically get. I thought he would pull back immediately and scold me for doing something not so friendly, but once again, he surprised me as he wrapped his arms even tighter around my waist and held me close. After what seemed like purely milliseconds, he sighed and let me go.

"Goodnight, Charlotte," he said again. Only this time, he smiled at the end, the famous crooked smile, and I felt myself get weak at the knees.

"Goodnight, Edward," I whispered, and I darted up the stairs while I could still walk.

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Well, what do you think?! Please review and let me know! Even just a small note saying what you liked/disliked makes my day!!


	11. Chapter 10

As always - everything belongs to the incredible Stephenie Meyer. I am definitely not her. Enjoy anyway though! :)

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Edward and I were the exact opposite of "just friends". Every overcast day was spent with him, walking on the beach talking about everything and then talking about nothing. We laughed a lot and spent as much time together as we possibly could. He took me out at night; he paid for two dinners when only one was eaten. We talked on the phone for hours at a time, and I was constantly thanking God I was a night owl. We went out dancing. We flew kites at sunset. We had moonlight picnics on days when the sun had ruined our plans. All of this we did while trying to pretend we weren't falling for each other.

All I wanted was to grab his hand as we walked on the beach, to have him hold me closer as we danced in the moonlight, to kiss him goodnight when he walked me to my door. I cherished his every touch, every subtle compliment, every chance I had to look into his eyes, and every crooked-smile that was flashed my way. He knew my thoughts, and every now and then I could hear him muttering about how dangerous he was or how he wished things were different, but the facts remained the same - they weren't.

It was a Monday – Monday, August 10th, exactly three weeks since our decision to be friends. That was the day that everything changed.

Ashley and I had had a girls day complete with a manicure and lots and lots of ice cream. I had given up on Edward catching onto his window trick and, at this point, simply left the window open to cool down. I had just put on my pajamas and tank top and was turning around to get into bed when, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a figure lurking by my window.

I screamed and grabbed my pillow, but before I had time to do anything, the figure was behind me and a hand was clamped over my mouth.

"I like your weapon of choice," the figure whispered. The minute the cool voice hit my ears I relaxed immensely.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, turning around to face my beautiful vampire intruder.

"Don't worry, I didn't see anything," he replied, chuckling to himself.

I knew he was really responding to the _did he just see me change?! _that subconsciously ran through my head.

I smiled in return and wrapped my arms around his cold, rock hard body. "Really though, Edward, what are you doing here?"

"I missed you," he whispered into my hair as I attempted to pull myself further into his embrace. He gently pushed me away, however, and turned to grab the blanket that lay at the end of my bed.

"What's that for?" I asked, but yet again my questions went unanswered as he walked to the window. He jumped down without making a sound and then turned up to me, holding his arms out as if expecting me to jump down with him.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Charlotte, I'm a…" he trailed off, still not comfortable with saying it aloud in front of me. "I can catch you," he said instead.

"I know," I replied, obviously still hesitant.

"Do you trust me?"

_Yes._

"Then jump."

I felt like Rose in _Titanic_, minus the sinking ship part, of course. I was terrified, but I knew Edward would catch me. So, I sat down on the windowsill, closed my eyes, and slid off. It certainly wasn't graceful on my part, but as I landed safely in the strong arms of Edward, I felt as if I had flown. I slowly opened my eyes, and having his sparkling golden eyes so close to me knocked the breath out of me.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I replied, barely gaining my breath back in time to ask, "Now where to?"

Instead of answering, Edward grabbed a hold of my hand and began walking. A few minutes later we arrived at the beach. Edward picked out a spot, laid the blanket down, and sat. I sat down next to him; time seemed to stop as we talked for what felt like hours on end. Exhaustion hit me like a ton of bricks at around 1:30 that morning, and I lay down, putting my head in Edward's lap, staring out at the beautiful Atlantic Ocean that was stretched out before me.

I don't know if the sleep made me a bit loopy or if I honestly lost my mind for a moment, but neither of us were expecting me to say what I said next.

"This isn't what friends do, you know."

The silence that answered me was deafening, and my temporarily-high self decided to continue.

"Friends don't hold hands like we do. Friends don't hug like we do. Friends don't surprise their friends with dates that are clearly meant for someone that's more than just friends." I was making no sense, but I didn't care. The words that had been weighing on my heart for weeks now were finally pouring out. "So, why do we have to keep pretending we're just friends?"

I could feel Edward looking down at me, but after I asked the question, I turned my head away to stare at the ocean again, afraid to face the answer that came.

Edward always surprised me though. I thought that after these past few weeks, and even after re-reading _Twilight _for a sixth time, that I knew him so well, but with every new move he made, I seemed to expect it less and less.

He put his arms on my shoulders, and gently eased me up out of my laying position so that we were kneeling face-to-face, only inches apart. He kept his hands on my shoulder, and I could feel him stop breathing as he so very slowly leaned forward and pressed his lips to my face. He kissed my temple, my cheek, and then slowly moved downward, his lips brushing my jaw line.

"We don't have to anymore," he said, his eyes boring into my soul. I moved my hands from my side and placed them around his neck, bringing myself as close to him as possible. I knew I shouldn't be doing it, but I was ever so slowly bringing my lips closer to his. I wanted this more than anything, it had been plaguing my thoughts since the night he left, and he knew it as well as I did.

My lips came within millimeters of his, and just before they reached his, he turned his head to the side at vampire speed. For once I wasn't surprised by the action; this time it was exactly as I had expected. Edward stuck true to his character though and the words that came next shocked me more than anything else that had occurred throughout my summer with him.

"I'll kiss you under one condition," he answered in all seriousness.

"Anything," I replied, all too desperate to lean in and feel his lips against mine.

"Tell me who Bella Swan is."

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AHHHHHHH! I know, I'm awful :). Another cliff hanger...and I'm currently in the midst of writing the next chapter which means you'll have to wait a while too... :/. I'm sorry! Enjoy this in the meantime though and please please please please please review!!!


	12. Chapter 11

Sorry it took a bit longer than usual to update! I'm crankin' away as fast as I can! As always, everything Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer...I just toy with it for my own amusement :). Enjoy!

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"What?" I asked, sure that my heart was literally breaking right before my eyes.

"She's all you think about, Charlotte. You worry about her day and night. You try to cover it up, but you're not a good liar, not even to yourself. You worry about her and you worry about me, and, in turn, it makes me worry about you. If we're going to do this, if we're going to be in a relationship, it starts with complete honesty," he replied.

At this point, I couldn't hold myself up anymore, and I leaned into Edward's cool, hard body for support. The moment was here – the moment of truth. I had been dreading it from the beginning, but now it was up to me. Sure, I could lie, but didn't I owe it to him? Didn't I owe it to him to find the love of his life if she really was out there?

The tears came before any words possibly could, and as much as I hated to reveal my vulnerable side in front of Edward, all I could think was that I probably wouldn't be seeing him much after that moment anyway.

"_Twilight_ isn't just about your family, Edward," I began slowly. My voice turned slightly robotic and I felt myself growing numb. The tears continued falling down my face, but I no longer felt them. I couldn't feel Edward's hands holding mine; I couldn't feel the blanket beneath my knees; all I could focus on was the words coming out of my mouth and the beautiful golden eyes that sat across from mine.

"_Twilight_ is a book about a human named Bella Swan. You fall in love with her. She's perfect for you, your other half. You love her more than anything in the entire world. She's like your soul mate, only so much more. I've tried Edward…I've tried to pretend like she doesn't exist, but you're real. You're real, and so are Emmett, Carlisle, and the rest of your family. Tanya and the Denali clan, they're real. Everything is real, so what's to say she isn't? What if _Twilight_ is your future?"

By this point, the tears were more than pouring from my face. I could no longer see the golden eyes in front of me, and I buried my face in my hands as my body shook from emotion. I didn't want to be reacting this way. I had only known him for a month after all, but I couldn't help it. Wiping the tears from my face, I took a deep breath and began again. "What sucks the most about all of this, Edward, is I'm falling in love with you. I know it's only been a month, but I feel like I've known you my whole life. I'm falling for you, but I know that my love could never, in a million years, compare to what you could have with Bella. I kept this from you, and I'm so sorry. I just didn't want to have to let you go."

I finished, and I broke into sobs yet again. Edward wrapped his arms around my back and slowly pulled me forward until our bodies were mere inches apart. He then pulled his arms around and gently took hold of my face. He gently brought my face towards his, and suddenly, it was happening. His lips were on mine in the smallest, gentlest peck. It was perfect; my own little piece of heaven. It was everything I had dreamed and so much more.

"I had to keep my promise," he whispered as we pulled apart, and I couldn't help the small breathy laugh that emerged from my mouth. I leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around me once again, and I clung to his embrace. We stayed like that for close to ten minutes, our bodies perfectly molded together amongst sand and ocean, waves of emotion passing over both of us, before Edward finally spoke. "Charlotte, I know this will sound crazy to you, but I don't care. So what if Bella Swan is out there? Look at me. I'm happy. Right now, right here with you, that's where I want to be. I've never felt like this before. You make me happier then I've felt in my entire existence, and I don't want to spend a minute more of it away from you. We don't know if this bookis reality, so please, let's not think about it. I'm falling in love with you Charlotte Monroe, and that's all I care about right now."

I was in complete shock. Every girl's fantasy just unfolded right before my eyes. Edward Cullen, the most beautiful being that had ever walked on earth, just told me he loved me. And more than that, he just told me he would give up Bella Swan to be with me. I knew I should be ecstatic. I knew my tears should be tears of joy, yet they weren't.

Edward knew something was wrong. I don't know if he picked out one of the thousands of thoughts rushing through my head or if he could just tell, but somehow he knew.

"Charlotte, what's wrong?"

_I don't know._

And it was true, I didn't know. Somehow though, I just knew it was wrong. The facts remained true, I was no Bella Swan. If she really did exist, Edward deserved to be with her. I knew he would be a thousand times happier with her than he could ever be with me.

"Charlotte, stop thinking like that," he added in response to my thoughts.

"It's true though, Edward. You don't understand because you haven't read the book, but she's made for you. If she exists, if she's out there, she'll complete you. She'll be everything you've ever wanted or needed. Edward, you have to go find her."

"Charlotte, no. Don't you understand? I'm so happy. I thought this would make you happy, too. You just told me you loved me, why do you want me to go be with someone else?"

"Oh, Edward," I replied, the tears coming back to my eyes all too quickly. "That's just it. I care about you so much. When you love someone, you want them to be happy. I know that I can't make you as happy as you could be. I'm not meant for you Edward. I don't think I'm the girl you're supposed to end up with."

"But what if you are? What if I go to this Forks place and she's not there. What if there is no Bella Swan? What if she doesn't exist? I don't want to leave you to go searching for something that may or may not be there, Charlotte. I'm falling in love with you."

It was a side of Edward I had never seen, and every time I looked at his face, it only brought more tears to my eyes. His voice was so full of pain and desperation that it took all I had not to cover his mouth with my hand and tell him over and over again that it would be ok. I knew he would be crying if he could, and that hurt me more than anything.

"Edward, look at me," I answered him. "If there's no Bella Swan than you better run as fast as you possibly can back to me. Maybe I am the right girl. Maybe it's been me all along. Edward, I can't even begin to tell you how badly I want that to be the case, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't make you at least look."

"Charlotte, I don't want to."

"I know you don't. I don't want you to leave, but I'm telling you to go so that you can be happy. This hurts so much Edward, but please, if you won't do it for yourself, than do it for me."

He looked me straight in the eye, and I could see the pain and confusion written all over his beautiful stone face. I grabbed his hands and then did perhaps the stupidest thing I've ever done.

"Edward, I want you to go to Forks tonight," I told him, a strange calmness taking over my body and voice. "I want you to stay for at least two months and try to find Bella Swan. If after two months she's not there, then you have my address. Come find me, and we'll figure something out, because I love you. But if she's there, I want you to promise me you will try. It'll be hard, but promise me you will try."

Edward had turned his face away and was squeezing my hands much harder than I think he realized.

"Charlotte…" he moaned, his voice aching with pain.

"Please, Edward…" I whispered desperately as the tears took over once again.

"I promise," he answered finally.

With that I stood up, gently guiding him to his feet as well. We stood about a foot apart, both of us caught in each other's eyes, but we couldn't stay apart for long and soon we had thrust ourselves into each other's arms. We held on for what felt like hours before finally breaking apart. As Edward pulled away though, my body refused to let go, and within seconds my hands were grasping at his face. Before I had time to breathe I was swept off my feet and my lips were pressed against Edward's in a kiss more passionate that I ever could have expected. We broke apart, my heavy breaths beating loudly against the complete stillness and lack of breath coming from Edward.

"Goodbye Edward," I whispered, tears falling quickly from my eyes.

"I'll see you in two months, Charlotte. I promise," he stated confidently.

And with that, I saw the side of Edward I was most familiar with – him running away, and me left behind.

* * *

I actually gave you a completed ending for once! It was a toughie, because you all know how much I love my cliff hangers, but I felt like you deserved it ;). PLEASE REVIEW! I'd love to hear some feedback! More to come soon!


	13. Chapter 12

At first I wanted to run. I wanted to run as fast as I could as far as I could. I wanted to run away from Charlotte and this asinine _Twilight _business. And then, suddenly, I didn't want to run. Suddenly I was disgusted by the fact that I could run almost faster than the speed of light. I wanted to walk. I wanted to walk like normal humans did. So, I did.

I walked, and I cursed. I cursed the fate given to me on that horrible day 109 years ago. I cursed the fate Charlotte was now telling me. Was it fate? I didn't even need to hear her thoughts at this point to know that was the question on her mind. And she did have a point. I was immediately entranced by her beauty; by the subtle way she moved; the way she seemed to speak to my non-existent soul with every word that fell from her full lips. In the end though, it was curiosity that piqued my interest. I was amazed at everything she knew about me. They were all correct and _Twilight_ had told her so.

_Twilight_. I practically spat the word in my thoughts. I abhorred the stupid creation. This sick creation that was taking me away from the one thing that finally made me feel again. I had been living my life in a daze, going through the motions, and now – well, now everything had changed. I was smiling. I was laughing. I was feeling.

That was all gone now. I no longer wanted to feel. Now I wanted to run. So, I did. I ran and wished it wasn't the dead of night so I could fill my head with the voices of others instead of my own troubling thoughts.

I arrived back at the house in a minute. So many feelings were rushing inside of me: pain, anger, confusion, but I had made a pact not to feel anymore. From the moment I left Charlotte until the moment I could return to her – I wasn't going to feel.

Emmett was sitting on the couch watching ESPN, mentally mocking the "wimp" humans that were playing baseball. _Pathetic! I could hit the ball a thousand times harder than that spineless punk!_ He looked up when he heard me shut the front door.

"Dude – get a look at these guys! Even Esme could take them down!"

"Emmett, we're going home," I replied calmly.

"What?" He asked in return, adding a _he looks like hell _in his head.

"Well, I feel like it too," I snapped back, the bitter and sarcastic tone coming out full force. "Just grab your stuff and let's go. Please," I added, feeling bad about releasing my frustrations on Emmett.

"Edward, slow down. What happened? Did something happen between you and Charlotte? Oh shit did you…" Emmett trailed off and I saw a visual of me standing over Charlotte, her body completely white and my eyes blood red run through Emmett's head.

I didn't have the energy or even the desire to yell at him about his stupidity. "Look at me," was all I said, and this time I saw my own gold eyes rush though his head.

"Emmett, I'm sorry. I'm upset, and I really need to get out of here. I'm leaving tonight. I would prefer it if you came with me, but I can't force you. I'm going to call Carlisle and pack my stuff."

I walked up the stairs and pushed all of Emmett's thoughts out of my head. I felt bad for dragging him along in this mess with me, but I pushed that away too. No more feeling.

I grabbed my phone from my bedside table and quickly dialed Carlisle's number.

"Edward?" Carlisle asked, the concern in his voice extremely blatant.

"I'm coming home," was all I said.

"I know," he replied, "Alice told us. Emmett will come too," he added in a slight attempt to make me feel better.

"We need to…" I began, but Carlisle's voice quickly cut me off.

"I know. I had a big feeling it would come to this all along. I already talked to the family about it, well everyone except Emmett, and they're all in. We already bought a house. Go buy a plane ticket and we'll meet you at the airport in Seattle."

"Thank you," was all I had the energy to say. I wanted to say so much more, and Carlisle knew that. I was so thankful to have him. He knew exactly what I was feeling, and he shouldered that now so that I wouldn't have to.

"I'm so sorry, Edward. For everything."

I couldn't let myself feel. I couldn't do it.

"I'll see you soon Carlisle," was all I could manage.

I had decided I was only going to sit for a few minutes, just until I composed myself, then I was going to get up and go home to Ashley like the big girl that I was.

Turns out – I wasn't a big girl.

I sat and I cried. Then, I stopped crying, and I sat and I stared. Then, I stopped staring, and I laid and I thought.

My heart was heavy. I had a thousand different feelings rushing through my body. I was proud of myself for doing what was right. I was angry with myself for sending Edward away. I was sad, hurt, and broken. I felt like I was being ripped into two.

Edward was the best thing that had ever happened to me. After Liam, I honestly wasn't sure I'd ever be ok. Edward made me ok and so much more. He made me whole. I felt complete and happy when I was with him. I smiled uncontrollably, I danced around the house, I sang in the shower.

_Why did I just push all of that away?_

I half expected to hear the smooth voice of Edward Cullen respond with an answer, but Edward wasn't here. There was no one to read my thoughts now.

_Is it true? _I asked myself for the thousandth time. All I could do was pray. Pray, wish, hope that in two months Edward would show up at my house and I'd be his again. I loved him. I loved every inch of his self-loathing, brilliant, beautiful, vampire self.

For now though, he was gone. And deep down I knew he was probably gone forever. So I did what I would have done pre-Liam; I stood up. Yes, I was hurt. Yes, I was heartbroken. But, I was also different. I was feeling again.

Along with Liam I lost a piece of myself. I lost the part of me I once valued most, my strength. Edward had given that back to me. I felt safe, happy, confidant, and loved when I was around him. I told Edward things no one knew, not even Ashley. He valued me for who I was. He thought I was beautiful, smart, funny, and creative. He built me back up. I had the strength to tell him about Bella, and I now had the strength to pick myself back up and walk home.

I might have felt like my heart was broken, but deep down I knew it was fixed.


	14. Chapter 13

October 4, 2002

It was pouring down rain, and I decided to take a homework break and grab a soda from my fridge outside. We were only three weeks into school and already my homework was piling up like crazy. Going back to school had been hard. Just going back home at all had been hard.

Ashley had understood. I couldn't tell her that I sent Edward away because I thought he was a fictional character that had another fictional character he was meant to love somewhere in the world – so I just told her he left, which was the truth in some ways. She did all the things a best friend was supposed to do – she hated him, grabbed a tub of Ben & Jerry's and sat on the couch watching _Pretty Woman_ and cried with me. I wanted to finish out the summer at the beach, after all, just because my summer was ruined didn't mean Ashley's had to be. I couldn't do it though. Everywhere I went I was reminded of him. After a while it hurt too much for me to stay there, and when Ashley suggested we go home I gladly took her up on the offer.

Being home was strange too. I missed Edward so much, but once school started up again I decided I couldn't just mope around the house feeling sorry for myself anymore. I threw myself into school, picked up a part-time job, and attempted to restart and revamp my social life. It was exhausting, and at the end of the day when all the business of my life stopped and I was surrounded by silence, I found myself thinking of cool, pale skin and golden eyes.

This was one of those days. I came home to an empty house and the silence around me was deafening. I poured myself into homework as much as I could and waited for the moment when my mom would be back so I could distract myself from her. I walked outside to the fridge in my garage and noticed my garage door was open. Just as I reached up to close it I noticed something at the bottom of my driveway. It was raining so hard I could barely make it out, but I knew it was a person, and as the person began walking up my driveway I knew immediately who it was.

I hadn't seen him in a month and a half. _Was a month and a half all it took? _For a moment I didn't know what to do. I couldn't even move. His figure kept gliding up my driveway though, and soon my feet were moving themselves towards the edge of my garage, even if my brain wasn't functioning enough to tell them to. I walked out in the pouring rain and met him halfway.

"Edward?" I asked, my mind not being able to comprehend that this was him.

"Hello, Charlotte." He whispered in return. If the flawless pale skin and perfect copper hair wasn't enough to convince me that Edward Cullen was standing in front of me, then his smooth, silky voice surely did it.

I didn't want to cry. I wanted to jump into his arms, kiss him and have myself be safe forever. Instead tears began to pour down my face. Edward was quick to pull me in his arms, but from the moment he did it something didn't feel right. His arms were stiff around my body and I could tell he was purposely keeping himself as far away from touching me as he could.

I pulled myself out of the awkward embrace and faced him again. "Edward, what does this mean? Does this mean it's not true? There's no Bella? We can be together?" My voice was full of anticipation and hope. My mind flashed back to our last night together in Charleston. He promised me that if there was no Bella he would come back to me, and now here he was standing before me. In my head it all connected. There was no Bella, _Twilight _was fiction, just a figment of Stephenie Meyer's imagination. This was all I wanted to believe, but the look on Edward's face told me otherwise.

"Edward?" I asked again, much quieter this time. His face dropped again and for the first time I noticed how black his eyes were. It scared me a little bit, the harshness of his face and the deep black unlike one I had ever seen but exactly as Stephenie Meyer had described it. I knew something was wrong. It was a gut feeling, intuition. I just didn't want to believe it.

"Charlotte," he finally answered his voice full of the emotions I knew he would be showing on his face if he only could. "I can't do it, Charlotte. I want to _kill _her. Do you know what that's like? I'm plotting murders in my head. I'm figuring out the best way to kill all of our classmates so that I can have her. It's gruesome. I'm leaving. I don't know what that book said, but Bella Swan and I are not going to fall in love. I'll _kill _her, Charlotte. I'm going away. Far, far away. So far away that even if I wanted to come back to Seattle and hurt her I couldn't. I just couldn't bring myself to leave without telling you first, so here I am."

I looked at him, absolutely shocked, hurt, and confused. "You mean she's real? Bella Swan exists?"

"Yes," he quietly answered back.

Edward Cullen had come back to break my heart. That was the only conclusion I could come to.

"Are you kidding me?" I asked him, my confusion quickly turning to absolute rage.

"Excuse me?" He asked, the dumbfounded look on his face clearly stating that he didn't understand why I was so angry.

"Do you have any idea what you mean to me? You fixed my heart! I was broken and you fixed me and I love you. I love you Edward Cullen, and not a single day over the past six weeks has gone by where I haven't thought of you. I've thrown myself into every other aspect of my life in an attempt to forget about you. You fixed me, and I gave you up. I gave you up so that you could be happy. I wanted you to have a chance at complete happiness, Edward. Bella is going to complete you. I told you this! I gave you up and told you to go make yourself happy, and you're giving up on all of that? And you came all the way back here to tell me that? What is wrong with you?" I paused and took in a huge breath, not even realizing that I had been shouting.

"Charlotte, I don't think I can do this. You don't understand. This is tearing me up. I hate myself for it. I didn't mean to come to you and upset you. You know I would never want to break your heart. I just don't know what else to do," he answered. I knew if he could cry he would be.

"Edward, you have to do this. I can't let myself live knowing I gave you up for no reason. She's going to make you the happiest person in the world, Edward. Please, if you won't do this for yourself, then do it for me."

"Charlotte…" he trailed off.

"You need to have more faith in yourself, Edward. Trust me; everyone thinks you can do this except yourself. I know you can do this. Bella knows you can do this. Bella believes in you more than anyone. Edward, I know how your story ends. You can do this."

"You always did believe in me more than I believed in myself."

"Edward, please just try for me. I can't give you up in vain. Please…" this time it was my turn to trail off.

"OK, Charlotte, but only for you. And I swear, if I kill her…"

"Thank you," I whispered.

I watched as he brought himself closer to me. I watched as he leaned in and brought his lips to my cheek in the slightest of touches and the fireworks I had felt so long ago appeared again. I watched him turn around and walk to the end of my driveway and then run out of my life yet again. I watched my heart break in two.

I sat down in the pouring rain. I couldn't tell whether I was crying or if it was the rain that streaked my face and blurred my vision. I couldn't believe that I had let him walk out of my life again. For the second time I had convinced the person I love to leave me, and I had found yet another difference between myself and Bella Swan - I was a much bigger masochist.


End file.
